The World's Best Amusement Parks The World's Best Amusement Parks comments, called-out You might think of amusement parks as being noisy places with overpriced food where your kids want to drag you off to every year–and you’d be right. As any parent knows, enduring amusement parks is as much a part of raising children as braces and funny haircuts. The only thing you can do is suck it up and hope that at least there’s a decent golf course nearby. Amusement parks such as Coney Island, the pier at Santa Monica and even the Atlantic City boardwalk have become iconic symbols of Americana because of their blend of outdoorsy wholesomeness combined with adrenaline thrills, and unhealthy (but tasty) fast food. But most people would be surprised to learn that the oldest operating amusement park in the world is not American but Danish: Bakken, in Klampenborg, Denmark, opened in 1583. The oldest in the U.S. is Lake Compounce in Bristol, Conn., which opened in 1846, according to Susie Story of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions. Parks are a growing industry, and U.S.

parks account for only 54% of the worldwide revenue that, according to New York-based consultant Wilkofsky Gruen Associates, totaled $19 billion in 2001. The most visited park in the world is Tokyo Disneyland, which had over 17 million attendees last year. What makes the global success of theme parks even more surprising is the disastrous debut of Euro Disney in 1992. The French, as usual, practically revolted against the intrusion of American low culture on Gallic soil. But Disney retooled the park to tone down the American-ness, placed the emphasis on the rides and voilà. “Disney toned down the American arrogance, and now it’s just fun,” says Tim O’Brien, a senior editor at Amusement Business Weekly. “They also made it more of a European park than just a French one.” (What does that mean? Serving wine and snails instead of Coke and hot dogs?) Its formula worked so well that Disney just opened a second park there. Romania even has plans to create a Dracula theme park–not in the count’s alleged hometown but in Sighisoara, a city that ponied up free land.

Later this year amusement parks will also be opening in such far-flung spots as Tunisia; Guatemala; Anchorage, Alaska; and Gelendjik, Russia. One reason parks are multiplying so quickly is because they’re big business. The average price of a one-day ticket is around $25. Multiply that by a family of four and add Grandma and Grandpa, overpriced food, plush-toy souvenirs, mouse ears and perhaps a night or two in a hotel…and you’re looking at some serious dough. But there are bargains to be found. Many parks offer package deals (with deeper savings on their Web sites), and few people may realize that the cost of a season pass is often just a few dollars more than the price of a one-day ticket. Now if the parks could only do something about the lines. Click on the images below for a description of each park. Busch Gardens With locations in Williamsburg, Va., and Tampa, Fla., Busch Gardens is ideal for people who prefer real animals to people dressed up as them. Both parks have plenty of rides and attractions for white-knuckle thrill seekers, but with an emphasis on nature.

Busch Gardens in Tampa has a heavy Africa theme with its Serengeti Plain wildlife area, where elephants, rhinos, zebras and antelope roam over 29 acres. (It’s also the largest zoo in Florida, with over 2,700 animals.) Vistors can zoom around the Serengeti on the Serengeti Express Railway or head to Rhino Rally, where you can go off-roading in an open-air Land Rover and see you know what. Busch Gardens also has several roller coasters, including the Gwazi, which is a wooden, double twist coaster whose trains whiz past each other at 100 mph. The Williamsburg park is known for its nausea-inducing roller coasters. The Apollo’s Chariot ride has nine drops, the first plunging 210 feet (or 21 stories.) The park is divided into nine European “hamlets” that celebrate English, Scottish, German and Italian culture. Since Virginia is too cold for zebras and elephants, Busch Gardens Williamsburg has Jack Hann’s Wild Reserve, where guests can spot wolves and lorikeets.

Animals aside, parents will appreciate that the parent company is beer conglomerate Anheuser-Busch. A one-day pass at Busch Gardens Tampa is $49.95 for adults and $40.95 for children ages 3 to 6, but the best option is to combine it with a pass for Sea World or Adventure Island. Or buy a one-year pass ($84.95 for adults and $74.95 for kids). Busch Gardens Williamsburg is $42.99 for adults and $35.99 for kids; unlimited summer passes are $59.99 for all ages. Busch Gardens Williamsburg Busch Boulevard and 40th Street Tampa, Fla. Phone: (813) 987-5082 Cedar Point If you’re a roller coaster junkie and love that sinking, lurching feeling in the pit of your stomach, then Cedar Point is the place for you. The park has more roller coasters–15–and rides–68–than any other park in the world. This spring, the park will add the Wicked Twister, which claims to be the world’s tallest.

Riders will launch out of the station at 50 mph and up a 90-degree twisting tower. As the train slows near the top of the U-shaped track, riders experience “air time,” the feeling of floating in air, before zooming up another tower and spiraling down…backward. As if that’s not enough, the train will go up and down the towers five times at a maximum speed of 72 mph, and twists 450 degrees. We suggest visiting the snack bar after the rides. Get the credit cards ready after the kids visit the “Peanuts” cartoon-themed rides and attractions, including the “Snoopy Rocks! On Ice” show and Camp Snoopy Theatre. There is also an 18-acre water park area, called Soak City (admission is extra). Prices vary depending on the day and time (discounts are given after 5 P.M.), but tickets to Cedar Point are $42 for ages 4-59 and those 48 inches or taller, and $20 for people under 48 inches. Admission to both parks is $59 and $39, respectively; for Soak City only, $23 and $13.

Cedar Point Phone: (419) 627-2350 Discovery Cove Discovery Cove in Orlando, Fla., is designed the way that theme parks should be, with no lines and limited admission. It also represents a new breed of theme park: upscale and small market. Only 1,000 people are allowed at a time into the park, which is built as a series of lagoons, coral reefs, rivers and white sand beaches. The main attraction of Discovery Cove is interaction with animals. Guests can swim and play with bottlenose dolphins, snorkel through coral reefs and snorkel past 4-foot-wide stingrays. In one lagoon, sharks and barracudas are kept behind a clear acrylic partition so you feel as if you’re swimming with them. Guests can also jump into the river and swim past the park’s aviary. The all-inclusive admission price is $199, which also includes a seven-day pass to SeaWorld Orlando. Admission without a dolphin swim ranges from $109 to $119. Discovery Cove E-mail: discoverycove@ab-adventureparks.com Disney What can we possibly say about Disney that hasn’t been said before?

There’s a reason why when most people think of “theme park” they think of Disney. Nobody does it better. All four locations (Anaheim, Calif., Orlando, Fla., Tokyo and Paris) are staggeringly huge and have everything from rides, games, restaurants, animals and water parks to learning centers and spas, all with the backdrop of the ubiquitous mouse and kids clamoring for Disney-related merchandise. Walt Disney World in Orlando consists of four theme parks: Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, Epcot and Disney-MGM Studios. Disneyland in Anaheim recently added a California Adventure Park that taps into the Golden State’s obsession with outdoor thrills, such as hang gliding and white-water rafting (what next? Wheat-grass shots in mouse-shaped cups?). Despite a bumpy beginning, when mouseaphobic protesters nearly shut down the rail system, Euro Disney eventually became a moneymaker. It’s now renamed Disneyland Paris, and in early March a new park, Walt Disney Studios, opened right next door. (Vive le Mickey, n’est-ce pas?) Disney is even bigger in Japan.

Today Tokyo Disneyland is the most visited amusement park in the world, with over 17 million visitors in 2001 (according to the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions). The company also has plans to build a park in Hong Kong, which just goes to show that mouse ears have become an international currency. Prices for one-day admission are $45 for adults and $35 for ages 3-9 at Disneyland. Walt Disney World is $48 for adults and $38 for ages 3-9. Disneyland Resort Paris is 27 euros ($23) for adults and 23 euros ($20) for children. Tokyo Disneyland is 5,500 yen ($41) for ages 18 and up, 4,800 yen ($36) for ages 12-17 and 3,700 yen ($28) for ages 4-11.

Disneyland Phone: (33) 1 60 30 60 81 Tokyo Disneyland Phone: 045 683 3777 Everland South Korea’s first theme park opened in 1976 as Yongin Farmland. Six years ago it was bought by a division of Samsung and transformed into the Everland theme park. It is now the fifth most popular theme park in the world, beating out Epcot, Disney MGM and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. Everland sprawls across 3,700 acres and consists of three theme parks: Festival World, Caribbean Bay and the Speedway. Festival World has 40 theme attractions as well as a zoo, plus seasonal festivals (right now the Tulip Festival is going on). Caribbean Bay has both indoor and outdoor water facilities, and Speedway offers racing courses. Parents will also appreciate the golf course and the mix of Korean, Chinese and American cuisine. Tickets are 26,000 won ($19) for ages 13 and up and 18,000 won ($13) for children under 13.

Everland Phone: (82) 31 320 5000 E-mail: evermast@everland.com Hersheypark Chocolate magnate Milton Hershey founded the town of Hershey, Pa., in 1903, and today it has become a Willy Wonka-type playland for children and adults, with golf courses, theme parks, zoos, streetlamps shaped like Hershey Kisses and a chocolate spa where you can get covered in cocoa. A trip to Hersheypark should begin with a visit to Hershey’s Chocolate World, which offers a tour of the chocolate-making process (and ends with a visit to a gift shop). Then burn off those candy bars at Hersheypark, which has six water rides, 20 kiddy rides and eight roller coasters. The Great Bear roller coaster is an inverted steel coaster that loops and twists at 61 mph, and riders who barrel down the Tidal Force flume reach 50 mph. The Roller Soaker, which will open in summer 2002, is a combination roller coaster-water rider and lets riders dump up to four gallons of water on spectators waiting to receive their revenge.

Admission to Hersheypark also offers access to ZooAmerica, an 11-acre walk-through zoo that was once Hershey’s personal zoo. Adults will want to book a room at the Mediterranean-style Hotel Hershey, which is based on Hershey’s mansion. The spa offers treatments such as the Whipped Cocoa Bath, Chocolate Fondue Wrap and a Cocoa Butter Scrub, all of which prove that chocolate really is good for you. Admission to Hersheypark is $19.95 for children ages 3-8, $34.95 for ages 9-54, and $19.95 for 55-69. Hersheypark Phone: (800) HERSHEY Legoland California Growing up, did you ever wonder what exactly you could build with millions of Legos? Legoland park, which has over 30 million Lego bricks, is one answer. Located in Carlsbad, Calif., about 30 miles north of San Diego, Legoland is a 128-acre park that is a combination of rides and hands-on activities, aimed at children ages 2 to 12.

The highlight of the park is Miniland USA, which features reproductions of American landmarks such as the White House, the Golden Gate Bridge and the New York City skyline, built on 1:20 scale. You can’t touch the models, but by pressing a button, you can do things like make the monkeys hop in Central Park. The park also has a safari trek, with life-sized giraffes, zebras and lions all built from Lego bricks, and a Lego factory tour. But there’s more than just Lego gawking to be done at Legoland. The park also has 50 rides (including three roller coasters) and a “clubhouse” where kids can take tips from Lego Master Model Builders (yes, these are adults who play with Legos all day). There’s also a Lego Driving School where kids test their skills on faux city streets, and perhaps coolest of all is the Mindstorms robotic sessions, where pre-teens can build and program their own robots in conjunction with MIT’s Media Laboratory. There are also Legolands in Billund, Denmark, and Windsor, England. A third Legoland, in Gunzburg, Germany, is under construction.

Admission is $39.95 for adults, $33.95 for children ages 3-16 and $33.95 for seniors. Legoland California Phone: (760) 918-5346 Parc Asterix Francophiles, fans of the popular French cartoon character Asterix or families seeking a theme park experience sans mouse ears should head to Parc Asterix, just north of Paris. The park features all the characters from the comic books and their playful twist on Gallic history and mythology. Likewise, the rides have names that are far more sophisticated than what you’d find in an American theme park. Rides are named Flight of Icarus, Caesar’s Spies, and Descent Along the Styx. The latest attraction is the La Trace du Hourra, which is a bobsled-type ride that races down a tube of metal sheeting at 54 kph. In addition to the rides, there are shows such as the “Theft of Mona Lisa” and a Musketeers show.

The park also has a hotel, the Three Owls, located in the forest that borders the park; 40 candy stores; and six restaurants, from a grill to a pizzeria. A one-day adult pass is 30 euros ($26); kids age 11 and up are 22 euros ($19.) Two-day passes for adults are 56 euros ($49); kids are 40 euros ($35). Season passes are 65 euros ($57) for adults and 45 euros ($41) for kids. Parc Asterix Phone: (33) 03 44 62 34 04 Paramount Parks Paramount, a division of Viacom , is giving Universal competition for movie-themed rides and parks. At Paramount’s Kings Islands in Cincinnati, guests can ride on 12 roller coasters and swim in an outdoor water park. Kids will like the Rugrats- and Hanna-Barbera-themed rides, such as the Rugrats Runaway Reptar, the world’s first suspended kiddy roller coaster. This park is also home to the world’s first stand-up coaster.

A new ride for spring 2002 will be Tomb Raider: The Ride, based on the recent Lara Croft movie, as well as a simulated Meteor Attack. Paramount’s Kings Dominion in Richmond, Va., has 12 roller coasters, making it one of the biggest parks in the East. Paramount’s Carowinds in Charlotte, N.C., is the only theme park in the country that straddles two state borders. All Paramount Parks have recently added Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius characters as well as Dora the Explorer. Since Viacom also owns MTV, CBS and VH1, we’d like to suggest a new ride: the David Letterman Roller Coaster. Paramount’s Kings Islands is $$41.99 for adults and $23 for ages 3-6. Paramount’s Kings Dominion is $39.99 for adults and $27.99 for ages 3-6. Paramount’s Carowinds is $39.99 for adults and $27.99 for ages 3-6.

Paramount’s Kings Islands Phone: (800) 888-4386 Ratanga Junction Ratanga Junction, just outside of Cape Town, is Africa’s first large-scale theme park and is only 3 years old. Thankfully, it didn’t adopt a Disney attitude by making, say, Masai warriors look cute and marketable. Ratanga is basically a park with a lot of rides, and with the falling rand it’s also one of the best bargains around. The park has over 26 rides, from nausea-inducing sheer drops to mellow rides for children and the faint of heart (or those who just had lunch). The park has a white-water-rapids ride and several roller coasters, including the Tarantula and the Bar One Bushwacker. The Hippo Hollow area is especially for younger children and has a Ferris wheel and crocodile boats. Ratanga also has its own cast of (merchandisable) characters, with veddy British names like Archibald Bird and Lady Cynthia Bird. Another added bonus is that Ratanga Junction is located next to Canal Walk, the largest regional shopping center in Africa.

Admission is 85 rand ($7) for adults and 39 rand ($3) for children. Ratanga Junction Phone: 0861 200 300 SeaWorld The idea for SeaWorld started with four UCLA frat boys in the early ’60s who wanted to build an aquatic-themed restaurant (surf’s up, dude!). Today it’s grown into a three-location Shamu empire. The park, with locations in San Diego, San Antonio and Orlando, is the place to go if you like getting up close and personal with animals and don’t mind getting wet. All three venues have water shows, aquariums and rides. In San Diego, visitors can participate in the Dolphin Interaction Program, where they can wade into shallow water to feed and touch the animals. San Diego also has the Cirque de la Mer, an acrobatic water show. San Antonio has the Sea Lion Interaction, and Orlando just introduced its first roller coaster, the Kraken, which is floorless so riders’ feet dangle. All three locations have an emphasis on learning and animal rescue. Teenagers interested in marine biology can sign up for SeaWorld Adventure Camps (some are sleepovers).

Orlando also debuted its Trainer for a Day program, where guests can shadow an animal trainer for $349. SeaWorld San Antonio is $36.99 for ages 12 and up; $26.99 for 3-11. SeaWorld San Diego is $42.95 for ages 12 and up; $32.95 for 3-11. SeaWorld Orlando is $49.95 for ages 12 and up; $32.95 for ages 3-11 SeaWorld San Diego Phone: (407) 351-3600 Sesame Place The Sesame Street characters Bert, Ernie, Cookie Monster and Oscar the Grouch have been making children laugh–and learn a thing or two–for over 30 years. Keep the laughs coming with a visit to Sesame Place, which is the only Sesame-themed park in the country. The park is best for younger children, who will love Sesame Place, a complete re-creation of the Sesame Neighborhood set, where they will encounter Mr. Hooper’s store, the Furry Arms Hotel and Oscar’s trash can.

The park also has character-themed rides, such as Cookie Mountain (a fortress) and Rubber Duckie Pond, a wading pool. Sesame Island, the park’s water-ride area, has slides called the Sesame Streak and the Big Slipper. Parents will also appreciate that the park has a learning component, with science exhibits in the Sesame Studio Science. Parents will have to grit their teeth to endure the Elmo’s World live show, where kids can star in a live production of Elmo and his friends. There’s also the Rock Around the Block parade, with floats and Sesame tunes as well as rock ‘n’ roll, Latin and jazz for the adults. Admission for all ages is $36.95. Sesame Place 100 Sesame Road Langhorne, Pa. Phone: (215) 752-7070 Universal Studios Universal Studios has capitalized on its movie inventory to create what most movie-goers want to experience: being a part of the film. Sure, it’s hokey and silly, but it’s also fun.

At both the Orlando and Hollywood locations, guests can relive Men in Black and get attacked by aliens, fight a tornado in Twister, ride bicycles through the air just like in E.T. and battle borgs in Terminator 2. The park also has attractions based on Animal Planet Live! and Jaws. Younger kids will like the “Day in the Park With Barney” where they can sing and clap along. Universal Studios also has the Islands of Adventure theme park, which opened in 1999. The park has rides based on the Cat in the Hat, Popeye and Spider-Man, as well as roller coasters. Tickets for Universal Hollywood are $45 for ages 10 and up and $35 for under 10. Universal Orlando (which also includes Islands of Adventure) is $49.95 for ages 10 and up and $40.95 for under 10.

Universal Studios, Orlando The Complete Guide To: European theme parks | The Independent Europe The Complete Guide To: European theme parks From Disney to Asterix, Lego bricks to water slides, these vast playgrounds are likely to be firm favourites with families &ndash; and a visit needn't break the bank Friday 12 June 2009 23:00 BST Click to follow The Complete Guide To: European theme parks 1/5 5/5 Europe's most popular theme park? By a massive margin: Disneyland Park, part of the vast Disneyland Resort Paris east of the French capital. According to the Themed Entertainment Association, nearly 12.7 million visitors passed through its turnstiles last year – more than three times as many as the next most popular European theme park (Europa-Park in south-west Germany). With its pink castle and "lands" themed on the Wild West, the future and fairy tales, the Disneyland Park looks much the same as Disney properties in California, Florida, Tokyo and Hong Kong.

It's a sure-fire hit with younger children: there are costumed Disney characters to meet at every turn, colourful parades and shows, and a host of gentle rides such as Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast and Pirates of the Caribbean. For older visitors the outstanding rides include a pair of spectacular, high-g roller-coasters – Indiana Jones and the Temple of Peril, and Space Mountain: Mission 2 – plus the thrilling but less gruelling Big Thunder Mountain. Expect queues to be monstrous at peak times – if possible, visit outside school holiday periods and on weekdays rather than weekends. For the most popular rides, Disney operates a free Fastpass system – you pick up a ticket at the attraction, and return later within a stated time slot when you can join a shorter queue – but don't imagine using the Fastpass will eliminate queuing altogether. If you are assigned, say, the 2-2.30pm slot, and turn up promptly at 2pm, you can still expect to be in line for 10 or 15 minutes. Also, many attractions do not have the Fastpass. Disneyland Resort Paris opened a second theme park in 2002.

Walt Disney Studios Park takes the movies as its theme, but unlike similar American parks, no filming actually takes place there. Broadly speaking, it holds more appeal to older children and adults: The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror is one of the scariest theme-park rides you are likely to encounter, while Rock'n'Roller Coaster is tenuously themed around an Aerosmith gig. But the number of attractions pitched at younger children is growing: don't miss Stitch Live!, in which the cartoon character on the screen can somehow chat with members of the audience. More information, including on the resort's seven elaborately themed hotels, and the Disney Village of shops, restaurants and night-time entertainment, on 0844 800 8111, disneylandparis.co.uk . By following a link on the website, you can now fly like Peter Pan around a new 3-D version of the resort, courtesy of Google Earth – it's one way to avoid the queues. Anything more French? Certainly.

Nothing less than Gallic – or more accurately Gaulish – independence is the theme at Parc Astérix (00 33 8 26 30 10 40; parcasterix.fr ) – about 20 miles north of Paris, and a longer-established attraction than the nearby Disney resort. They can easily be combined, since they are around 45 minutes' drive apart. Parc Astérix celebrates its 20th birthday this year by rounding off the entertainment each day with an anniversary parade and show with characters from the Goscinny and Uderzo comic strip. In the Gaulish village at the heart of the park you can meet Asterix, Obelix and Co, ride the Menhir Express log flume, and spin around in a cauldron. Other parts of the park are devoted to the Roman Empire, ancient Greece, and, anachronistically, the Vikings. Any educational theme parks? Futuroscope (020-7499 8049; uk.futuroscope.com ), spread over a dozen futuristic-looking buildings near Poitiers, springs to mind.

Its most intriguing attraction is The Future is Wild, in which you interact with imaginary animals that could inhabit the world millions of years from now. In the early years of Futuroscope, some visitors complained that it was too worthy and not exciting enough. Happily, there is a host of new attractions. Fly Me to the Moon is an animated 3-D film based on the Apollo 11 mission; EcoDingo is a simulated ride on environmentally-friendly vehicles; while Building the Future is an explorable "house of tomorrow", offering ideas for sustainable living. The new nocturnal multi-media extravaganza, The Blue Note Mystery, was designed by the artistic adviser for the ceremonies at the Beijing Olympics. Reasonably close, south-east of Nantes in France's Vendée region, you can find a history-themed park: Puy du Fou (00 33 820 09 10 10; puydufou.com ).

Calling itself a "theatre" park, every day it lays on spectacular, large-scale live historical shows – gladiators battle and charioteers race in a Roman stadium, Vikings loot a village, English and French armies from the 100 Years' War fight over a medieval castle. Puy du Fou is also renowned for its night-time Cinéscénie shows, which take place on what is claimed to be the world's largest stage (it covers 57 acres): the new Organs of Fire show promises water nymphs and fairies rising out of a lake, to the accompaniment of classical music. The park has two elaborately themed hotels: the new 18th-century Logis de Lescure, and La Villa Gallo-Romaine. Further south and east, complete your French theme-park entertainment with a visit to Vulcania (00 33 820 827 828; vulcania.com ). Surrounded by the dormant volcanoes of the Auvergne region, the park takes vulcanology as its theme. It wasn't a great success when it opened in 2002, as the exhibitions were too earnest.

To stem the decline in visitor numbers, millions of euros have been spent in the past few years on more fun and exciting family-oriented attractions. New last year was Dragon Ride, a mythical special-effects journey in to the depths of the earth. New this year is The Earth's Rage, a simulated adventure immersing you in disastrous natural phenomena, such as an avalanche, earthquake and tornado. South of the border? Just outside Benidorm and plumb in the middle of Spain's Costa Blanca, Terra Mitica (00 34 902 02 02 20; terramiticapark.com ) is divided into zones representing Egypt, Greece, Rome, Iberia and Mediterranean islands. Top rides include the Magnus Colossus, claimed to be Europe's longest wooden rollercoaster, and the Flight of the Phoenix – a 170-foot free-fall drop. The (unthemed) Atalaya Adventure Park is new, with rope bridges and zip lines. Note that there is a separate admission charge from the theme park proper: from €10.

North along the Mediterranean shore, on the Costa Dorada, the resort of PortAventura (0800 966540; portaventura.co.uk ) has one of Europe's biggest and best water parks, in the form of the Caribe Aquatic Park. It boasts a wave pool, lazy river, water slides, and indoor area for young children. But the focal point of PortAventura is its theme park (PortAventura Park), which has five beautifully themed lands recreating Mayan Mexico, the Wild West, Polynesia, China and elements of the Mediterranean, and some top-notch rides such as the eight-loop roller coaster Dragon Khan. When the Hotel Gold River, which is themed on a 19th-century gold miners' settlement in the American Wild West, opens on 1 July, the resort will have four hotels – packages on 0800 091 3886; portaventuraholidays.co.uk . A bigger splash?

The owners of Siam Park (00 34 902 060 000; siampark.net ), which opened in southern Tenerife last September, call their creation a theme park with aquatic rides. The theme is exotic Thailand: slides are set amongst tropical vegetation, there's a floating market constructed from wood, bamboo and tiles shipped from Thailand, and a white sand beach. For adrenalin seekers, main attractions are the Tower of Power – after a near-vertical plunge, you whizz down a clear tube through a tank of tropical fish and alligators – and the world's biggest artificial breakers (up to 10 feet high) in the wave pool. Water is also a major element at Gardaland (00 39 045 644 9777; gardaland.it ), on the southeastern shore of Lake Garda. Alongside Italy's most popular theme park, there's a Gardaland water park and a Sea Life Aquarium, which opened last year. The most European theme park? The highly rated Europa-Park (00 49 1805 868610; europapark.de ), in Rust, south-west Germany.

It has a grey rodent called Euromaus as its mascot, and is divided into 13 European countries, with appropriate architecture, vegetation, food, shopping and attractions in each. In Switzerland, for example, you'll find the Swiss Bob Run, in Russia the Lada Autodrom, in Italy the u oCarnival in Venice show ("electronic birds celebrate carnival in Venetian masks"), and in England the London Bus ride. Many of the four million annual visitors come for big thrills: the park has 10 rollercoasters. These include Silver Star, in the French area, the highest coaster in Europe; and the new Blue Fire Megacoaster, which catapults riders to over 60mph in 2.5 seconds above the rocky landscape and fishing village of Iceland. Most enchanting park? Dating from the early 1950s, Efteling (00 31 416 288 111; efteling.com ) in southern Holland is a strong contender.

Highlights for young children are likely to be the Fairy Tale Forest, a woodland walk past tableaux with animatronic, life-size characters such as Sleeping Beauty and Little Red Riding Hood, and Dream Flight, a ride through fantasy scenes such as floating castles and grottoes. Tivoli (00 45 3315 1001; tivoli.dk ), a Danish institution in Copenhagen, can fairly claim to be the world's first amusement park – it opened in 1843 – and was an inspiration for Walt Disney when he was planning the original Disneyland in California. It is still the third most popular theme park in Europe, with more than 3 million visitors. Besides its rides, Tivoli's appeal lies in its immaculate gardens, the Pantomime Theatre, performances from the uniformed Tivoli Boys Guard, and its dining options, which include two Michelin-starred restaurants. Disneyland Paris for less Disney is offering packages including free Eurostar travel, accommodation and theme-park tickets for children under seven, plus further savings of up to 40 per cent for bookings made by mid-July. See disneylandparis.co.uk for terms.

Eurostar from London is handy, but expensive; instead, drive, or travel by coach; Leger Holidays (0845 408 1093; tothemagic.leger.co.uk ) offers packages. Cut costs by staying in nearby non-Disney accommodation. The Hotel Kyriad at Disneyland Resort Paris (00 33 1 60 43 61 61; kyriad-disneyland-resort-paris.fr ), for example, has family rooms for four from €100 including breakfast. Or camp: Les Etangs Fleuris (00 33 1 64 04 16 36; paris-campsite.com ) is a rural site 20 minutes' drive from Disney, with pitches from €24 a night for a family of four. To avoid the expensive menus at Disney hotels, dine at the restaurants at the Val d'Europe shopping centre ( valdeurope.fr ), one stop from Disney on the RER. No picnics, by the way, are allowed in the parks, but you shouldn't be harangued for taking in bottles of water and snacks.

Legoland: built to last During the Depression, Ole Kirk Christiansen, a carpenter, experimented with building blocks. He chose the name Lego from the Danish phrase leg godt, meaning "play well", unaware that, in Latin, lego means "I put together". In 1954, his son, Godtfred, developed the Lego system; in 1968 Legoland ( legoland.dk ) opened next door to the factory in Billund. New twists this year include the Pirate Wave Breaker, "the red pirate boat that makes even the most experienced sailors shriek". Next door, a new resort complex, called Lalandia offers a water park and holiday cottages; see legolandbillundresort.com. The easiest access is by flying to Billund, which is walking distance from the park. Simon Calder Parks essentials Check out theme parks' websites for opening times, height restrictions on rides, and admission prices and deals – prices are sometimes lower if tickets are bought ahead or are for multiple days, and ticket/hotel packages can be worth considering.

Compare prices with those of ticket agencies such as Theme Park Tickets Direct (0844 579 3060; themeparkticketsdirect.com ) and Keith Prowse (0844 209 0381; keithprowse.com ). The best guidebook to Disneyland Paris is The Brit Guide to Disneyland Resort Paris (£9.99, foulsham.com ). Frommer's Paris & Disneyland Resort Paris with Your Family (£12.99, frommers.co.uk ) is the best choice if you're combining the French capital with Mickey Mouse (easy to do, as Disneyland Paris is just a 40-minute train ride on the RER from the centre of the city). Useful unofficial websites covering European theme parks: dlp.info (Disneyland Paris only), themeparkinsider.com , themeparkreview.com , screamscape.com .

The oddest European theme parks Owned by a confectionery company, BonBon-Land (00 45 5553 0700; bonbonland.dk ) in eastern Denmark takes some beating, with one of its leading attractions the Dog Fart Switchback rollercoaster: you ride on an excreting hound, while listening to flatulent sound effects. Perhaps the oddest-named theme park is Nigloland (00 33 3 25 94 52, nigloland.fr ), in the Aube region of Champagne. Niglo means "hedgehog" in French travelling people's slang – the park was created by two fairground entertainers in the 1980s. There are characters dressed as hedgehogs, a show with automated hedgehogs, and hedgehog ride through a magic forest.

Question: A theme park about 22 miles north of Paris is named after which cartoon character?
Answer: Asterix